The Liminal Builds a Wonderful World out of Love of Fantasy

This site may earn affiliate commissions from the links on this page. Terms of use.

via Dailen Ogden

“1994. As they blast through a California mountain, a road excavation team discovers a strange object embedded in the ground–sealed there when the very earth formed from dust. With it, a new force is born, a force that defies science and explanation, a force that can only be called “magic.” Now, in the modern day, something sinister is going on. People are disappearing. Blood is being shed. Human flesh is both the end-goal and the playing chip in a wicked game to cheat death. Taylor Holt, magical freelancer, spends most of her time solving supernatural mishaps in the city of Ellston, California. She’s just trying to do her part to curb the violence in the city. But it won’t be enough. Not until she’s risked it all.”

When you peep someone’s passion project, it immediately makes you passionate about it with them. It sends you into their gravitational pull and when you read it, it’s some of the best storytelling that you didn’t know was possible. That’s what happened when reading The Liminal #1 by Dailen Ogden. Ogden writes such an epic scale of a fantasy that feels so down to earth and quietly coming of age. The Liminal #1 excels in all the places that storytelling should and stuns you in the level of love and detail put into every piece of this world. She surprises readers with a story that’s unbelievably unique and fresh, yet a mixes fantasy with mystery and some underlining things that are happening just below the surface.

via Dailen Ogden

Ogden hypes you up for more but keeps you grounded with its details. She revolves her narrative in a build-up and anticipation. She tells the story of the world now. Then, places you at the scene of a crime. Then, introduces you to the title characters and her world. Ogden knows how to write a hell of an intro. You’d think this would disorient the reader, but Ogden does it in such a way that the narrative is progressing and you become invested with what happens next. She gives you a little bit of everything, leaving readers to wonder what happens next and you craving the story that she molds.

I love when characters are placed in a story that feels like you want to be best friends with them. The one thing I immediately fell in love with was Ogden’s characters. Ogden creates such down to earth and authentic characters in this setting. Each of their particular skill and asset, but still demands your attention throughout. The one person that you can’t help but fall in love with is our lead, Taylor Holt.

via Dailen Ogden

Taylor is a woman who is not only badass but survived an accident and has a dope eye on top of it. A woman whose a magical freelance (dream job!?!) and has a cool ghost roommate. Even though you get so little about her in this first issue, you want to travel along with her and see where this all will end up. She’s such a strong entry point to this world. She (and Ogden) leaves you hanging on to who she is and what she can do in this magical world.

I can go on and on talking about Ogden’s art, but I will save you the time and condense it down. Ogden’s art is just as mighty as her story if not mightier. She produces such magnificent visuals to match. She carries such an attention to every single aspect of what her story is. You watch her art grow as her story grows in this first issue, which is something of a treat. Her colors are gorgeous as well. She works within a natural palette but isn’t afraid to bring in those burst of surreal, vibrant colors later on. It cements the mood of the piece that is both magical and otherworldly, but also real and dangerous.

via Dailen Ogden

Ogden also has a fantastic way of playing with the light as well. I think that’s one thing that I ended up going “whoa” over. The process that she lays with her shadows and lighting fit so naturally within the story. At the same time, it also does wonders for the setting and characters. With that, she also letters in a way that lets all of her art and colors display in its own way. She places in a way that allows your eyes to move across every panel to soak in the story with her art. She also varies her placements with her vfx, typefaces and more. Ogden becomes a triple threat of the best kind with this and leaves you in awe of her talent.

The Liminal #1 is such an astonishing comic from a creator that everyone should know about as soon as possible. The Liminal is a fantasy built from the wonderful stories that we love like Sailor Moon and Jessica Jones. However, it still very grounded in our time and still a mystery that’s building up to blow you away. You can read The Liminal #1 now available on The Liminal – comic series. You can also support her patron for The Liminal and other projects here!